


The Old That is Strong

by AnonEhouse



Series: Battling Coronavirus (varied fandoms) [12]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: COVID-19, Coronavirus isolation, Gen, Happy Ending, Old Age, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), coronavirus lockdown, nursing home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:00:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23448175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonEhouse/pseuds/AnonEhouse
Summary: Steve can't stand idly by, but now that he's an old man what can he do to help during the pandemic?There must be SOMETHING.
Series: Battling Coronavirus (varied fandoms) [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676572
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	The Old That is Strong

(If you are reading this on any PAY site this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated too because you can read it on Archiveofourown for FREE.)

"They wouldn't let me give blood at the hospital," Steve said. He was standing outside the front door of the nursing home where he used to visit Peggy, back when she was old and he wasn't. Time travel is confusing. He recognized the receptionist behind the locked glass door, even through her face mask, a homemade thing covered with tiny dolls. The cheerfulness of the design didn't improve his mood. He was talking on his phone to a woman only a few feet away, because she wouldn't open the door no matter what he said.

"I believe that right now, the risk of infection is higher than the need for blood," the receptionist said. "What if you're carrying the coronavirus?"

"But I'm not sick! I haven't been sick in over seventy years!"

"As many as twenty-five percent of the people infected with the new coronavirus show no symptoms, but are capable of spreading the infections. There are rules for a reason," the receptionist said. "For your sake, as well as for our residents and staff, we're not allowing any visitors." Her voice sounded tired, and her courtesy was a thin thread. "Sir, I strongly recommend you obey the shelter in place order and return to your home."

"I don't have a home," Steve said. Thanos had blown up the Avengers Compound. The house he had shared with Peggy was cold and lonely. For fear of passing on any of his original health conditions they'd never had any children. And hell, even Brooklyn was unrecognizable. Bucky and Sam were off doing something heroic. He didn't have a place anywhere. "Please," he said, "I just want to help. To be doing something." 

He had a sudden thought. "Oh! I know." He waved his cell phone at her. "Maybe you could give my number to one of your residents, and I could at least talk to them. Let them know they're not alone. It's terrible to be sick and alone."

"I don't..."

"My wife... you cared for her here. She passed a few years ago. I... wasn't able to be at her bedside. Please? I'll stand by a window so they can see me. You can put it on speaker, so someone can listen to be sure I'm not upsetting anyone, or doing anything wrong." Steve was desperate. "I used to... I used to help people. Protect them. I can't. Everyone else is doing their part. I can't just sit in a room and not breathe on anyone. Please."

The receptionist wavered. "What was your wife's name?"

"Peggy. Peggy Carter. I'm Steve Carter," Steve said.

The receptionist looked down at her desk, reading through records apparently. "She had friends here. Did you know any of them?"

Steve shook his head. "No. I was... I was out of the country. I was stuck. I couldn't get back until it was too late."

"Well... all right, I'll see what I can do." She pointed to the left. "Go around that way. I'll see if any of the residents wishes to talk with you."

"Yes, thank you."

And they did want to talk. Steve talked until his voice was hoarse, setting up a conference call to connect him with everyone who wanted to hear what was going on in the world. Some of them didn't really understand, but he knew how to sound confident and reassuring even when it wasn't what he felt.

He did start rambling a little, but then, he was old. The super soldier serum couldn't stop time. "Peggy and I, we had a good life. I mean, we didn't always get along." Steve smiled reminiscently. "You know, two stubborn people, sometimes we'd butt heads. Like... well, the time she told me she'd thrown my blood in the river!"

"She did what?" a man yelled. He'd been one of the most out-spoken on the conference call, catching Steve whenever his stories became a little hard to believe. To be fair, Steve told the truth, it just didn't sound true. He couldn't very well say he was Captain America to prove it.

Steve blinked as he realized what he'd said. "Oh, no, it's ok, they were test samples. You know, because... well... because I never get sick, Howard was... oh, God. Howard was studying my blood, trying to make something to keep people from getting sick.

"Oh, Peggy. I wish you hadn't done that..."

"You've still got blood, don't you?" the man said. "Why not give this Howard some more?"

"Howard... Howard's dead."

"So? Was he the only doctor in the world?"

"Howard wasn't... oh. Howard wasn't a doctor. But Bruce is! Thank you, mister!" Steve said. "Bruce said he was working to try to find a cure. Maybe my blood would help him!" Steve said quick goodbyes all around and then left the nursing home.

He smiled. He was old, but he could still help.

**Author's Note:**

> Quote by J.R.R. Tolkien:
> 
> “All that is gold does not glitter,  
> Not all those who wander are lost;  
> The old that is strong does not wither,  
> Deep roots are not reached by the frost."


End file.
